Eye link style conveyor belts have been in existence for some time and are a popular style of belting in Europe. The eye link conveyor belt is constructed of small eyelets which may be welded onto a cross wire to form segments, generally 4-12 inches in width, which are then cut-down as needed and brick-laid assembled with other components such as reinforcing/support bars (bar links) to form a row of segments and components which are then linked to adjacent rows with hinge point connecting rods (cross rods).
These belts have the advantage of an extremely stable top surface and they are durable. They are very open, cleanable and drainable which are good for airflow and food processing. They also have excellent transfer characteristics for top heavy or delicate products. This makes them useful in pasteurizing, drying, frying, cooling, freezing and baking.
It is not always desirable, however, to have a smooth, unobstructed conveying surface. Welded dividers have been used heretofore to divide the surface into multiple lanes for product and thereby limit movement thereof, but welding the individual dividers is a time and labor intensive job. Other lane dividers provided as additional components also add material costs and require additional assembly labor since they are not integral to the belt construction.
Accordingly, there exists a need in the marketplace for an eye link conveyor belt that has the advantages of the prior art but which also allows varying surface/engineering characteristics of the conveyor surface without welding.